WHAT YOUR CHILD CAN LEARN FROM BAKING Education in the Kitchen
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you’re probably wracking your brain for the perfect recipe to bake for your loved one. There’s nothing wrong with store-bought chocolate, but there’s no topping the personal touch of some homemade baked goods. If you have kids, baking alongside them can be just as rewarding as enjoying the fruits of your labor. As an added bonus, baking is a hands-on opportunity where your child can learn all sorts of important concepts. Here is a short list of some of the educational lessons hiding in your kitchen. MATH Baking is a numbers game. Just take a look at any recipe, and you’ll recognize the importance of math in building a beautiful cake. Having children measure out ingredients helps them learn about fractions and ratios. You can also test your kids by doubling or halving a recipe for multiplication and division practice. With older kids, practice unit conversions by asking, for example, how many pints are in half a gallon. FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS Not unlike computer science, baking requires a strict order of operations. The wet and dry ingredients often need to be mixed separately and then folded together. It only takes one deviation from the instructions for a pastry to go from delicious to disgusting. Spending time in the kitchen, then, is a great way for kids to learn the importance of reading directions carefully and comprehending what they’ve just read.
CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING Cuisine is a fundamental part of every culture. Introducing your child to dishes from around the world will expand their horizons. Want your child to be a less picky eater? Involving them in the cooking process is the surest way to get them excited about trying new flavors and ingredients. NUTRITION Now, you might not think that baking cookies will encourage greater nutritional awareness, but hear us out. Sugar is often buried within packaged foods. When you bake something at home, a child gets to see, firsthand, just how much sugar goes into certain sweets. Meanwhile, cooking savory dishes also allows them to learn what constitutes a balanced, healthy diet.
Not-So-Lucky in Love CAN YOUR SMILE RUIN YOUR LOVE LIFE?
People who are self-conscious or uncomfortable about their teeth often avoid smiling or cover their mouth when they talk or laugh. These actions can seem secretive and suspicious, often making your date less likely to open up. Additionally, a smile can make us act and feel more confident, which means you’re more likely to get up the courage to talk to that cute bartender. Who would you rather see waiting for you at dinner: someone who is looking down and hiding behind the menu or a person who smiles brightly when you appear? Sometimes whitening your teeth is all it takes to help you feel confident in your smile again. Other times, it might take a little more work to achieve a smile you love. Whatever you need, from implants to veneers, the team at Dr. Kevin Poupore’s office is ready to help. Give us a call at 518-483-3100 and learn how easy it is to have a beautiful, confident smile you’ll fall in love with.
You may have heard that having nice teeth increases your chances of landing that dream job, but that’s not the only way your pearly whites influence your life. Smiling is also incredibly important in maintaining romantic relationships. A 2013 survey from Match.com found men and women both rank teeth as the most important trait they judge in a potential partner — over hair, clothes, and even grammar. What’s more, a Kelton Research study found 38 percent of people wouldn’t go on a second date with someone who had crooked teeth. That means romantic hopefuls with stained, broken, or missing teeth are unlikely to enjoy a kiss at the end of the night. Is it your teeth people fall in love with? No, but when a person smiles, it truly changes their appearance. Psychologists at Swansea University in Wales found people who smile often are more likely to be
perceived as healthy and even “glowing.” Basically, when a person genuinely smiles, they appear more attractive. Dr. Alex Jones, a lecturer in psychology at the university, said this study is proof that “a smile really is the best accessory.” Smiling also changes the way we behave and how others interpret our behavior.
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